Election Postponement: Corp members protest non-payment of allowances

The National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) members deployed to serve as Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) staff in Ilorin East Local Government in Akerebiata are currently protesting non-payment of their allowance by the commission.

A member, Muraina told our correspondent that: “We went to our RAC yesterday on our own — exposed to risks and insecurity and all. No security for ad-hoc staff, including corps members.

‘Some were posted to Marafa People which is about an hour drive from Akerebiata, the INEC office at Ilorin East. They got to their RAC to meet unprotected and highly exposed RAC in a rural area. These guys slept in an open space in the bush with no security or anything whatsoever.

“No INEC official, including the SPO came around to address any of us in our various RAC’s in Ilorin East. Mine was a slum in Idi Ape, Magaji Are Junior Secondary school. No security and we slept on mats all through.

“Having gotten the information that other local Governments have been paid their training fee, transportation and feeding allowances over the night which summed up to N8500, we were expectant. We got nothing.”

Another Corp member who refused to mention his name said: “We were informed to report back to the INEC office which we did. Then, we were told to come back on Monday which met the outcry of many”.

Meanwhile, the Kwara State NYSC coordinator, Esther Kupolati did not respond to PREMIUM TIMES calls and text messages at the time of filing this report.